Virtual Chemicals Morph in a Mesmerising 3D Video

Over space and time, chemicals either transform into one another or spread out (diffuse). In mathematics, reaction-diffusion equations explore these set of phenomena. The systems are pretty interesting because they form all sorts of beautiful patterns—spiral waves, hexagons, target patterns, stripes, and pulses.

CG artist Nobutaka Kitahara explores these reaction-diffusion patterns in a new 3D motion graphics video. Using TouchDesigner, Kitahara wrote a reaction-diffusion program that creates complete real-time generation of morphing patterns that react to the song “Astravel” by Sk’p. Besides evoking the reaction-diffusion images made by researchers, Kitahara’s video also has the look of microscopic organisms or even theoretical silicon-based lifeforms.